[Lehigh74]

Nothing earth shaking here. I put LED lighting in my PRR streamlined passenger cars. I’m electronically challenged and I’m happy when I finish a project and it actually works. I’ve done general lighting in passenger cars using John’s LED regulator several times so that was no big deal, but I have only done marker lights in observation cars once and I wasn’t sure if it would go smoothly. The last time I did one, it was a Madison car and I had to get nano LEDs to fit in the lanterns. For the streamlined cars, MTH had a neat bracket to hold the lights in place. I had a bunch of 3V LEDs so I tied 4 together in parallel and fed them with an Evan Designs regulator. The MTH bracket had holders for the side markers and the drumhead. I added a light for the rear marker.

 

[Lehigh74]

I thought you told me that adding the raw LEDs might overload the regulator. Will adding the resistor solve that?
The Evans rectifier is only $2 and includes a capacitor so not a big expense anyway..

 

[Lehigh74]

Thanks John and Mike. Good to know. Next time I may try some raw LEDs in series with a 1K resistor. I also have some LEDs prewired with a resistor included. I may try them in series and see what happens.

 

[Lehigh74]

Just a quick follow up on my tank train.

I finally finished the 10 Shermans. They were all given a fresh coat of Olive Drab and given US Army serial numbers. In addition, canvas covers were added to the guns, machine gun ports and radio antenna base. They are all Corgi 1:50 tanks.

This is one heavy train!

Tom

Yep.

Diecast military vehicle loads make for a heavy train. My military train usually runs between 12 and 15 flatcars and I notice the weight when I pull it along by hand to couple it. A single two motor diesel pulls the train along no problem on a level track, but I haven’t tried it on inclines. Some steamers have a problem getting it started though even on level track.

I measured the weight of a few of my military flat cars to compare it with the NMRA recommended weight for 14” O scale car of 19 oz.

Menards 14” flat car – 9.5 oz

Menards 14” flat car with 2 diecast centurion tacks – 17.5 oz

Menards 14” flat car with 2 halftracks – 21.5 oz

Menards 14” flat car with 2 plastic Tamiya Sherman tanks – 15.5 oz

Menards 14” flat car with 2 Deuce and a half– 20.5 oz



MTH Premier 14” flat car – 14.5 oz

MTH Premier 14” flat car with 2 Wolverine tank destroyers – 26.5 oz

MTH Premier 14” flat car with 2 Solido 105mm howitzers – 24.5 oz

I thought they would all be well over the NMRA recommendation and also found it interesting that the MTH flat cars were much heavier than the Menards cars. I had to weight everything separately because my scale only goes to 18 oz. I thought the vehicles would be heavier too, but when I lifted them, they didn’t seem to have the heft of solid diecast. I suspect that (aside from the canons), the “diecast” models are at least partly made of plastic.

Maybe the Corgi Tanks are all diecast.

 

[Lehigh74]

I'm always impressed by your paint and decal work. The model looks like a dead ringer for the prototype.

 

[Lehigh74]

I like the wood sided boxcars, but then I like just about anything with wood sides. I’ve been looking for a wood sided Reading NMn caboose for a few years, but I don’t think one was ever made.

The tank car also piqued my interest because when I was a kid, PENNSALT owned the Stotesbury mansion (Whitemarsh Hall) in my hometown and used it for a research lab.

 

[Lehigh74]

There are plenty of Reading / Northeast standard caboose models, but the wood sided NMn that Reading built during WWII for itself and the L&HR, not so much. I actually did see one once at a train show, but it was a very crummy model so I passed.

The 92962 was indeed an NMn. I have only seen this survivor at the Reading Museum in Hanover, PA.

And yes, Pennsalt made a lot more than just salt during its history. At one time they were called Pennsalt Chemical Company. The current name is Pennwalt.

 

[Lehigh74]

As I mentioned in your Cheap Car Weights thread, I am one cheap SOB, so while I admire his work, I don’t think I’ll be calling on Brother Love for an NMn.

The NMn was originally going to made with steel skin so it’s no wonder it looks like other standard cabooses. In fact all Reading four axle cabooses made between 1924 and 1948 (NMd to MNp) look pretty much the same.

 

[Lehigh74]

Well, you could make it one of the eight composite cabooses that the Reading shops made for Lehigh and Hudson River in 1942. The L&HR cabooses were numbered 10 to 17.

 

[Lehigh74]

I am almost finished with my DL&W GP7. It is a passenger unit equipped with a boiler. The water tank was paired with the fuel tank under the frame, so the main reservoirs for the brake system were moved to the top.

I need to add a sloped handrail to the short hood, a Lackawanna characteristic. I also will be converting a spare fuel tank to a larger tank, eliminating the air tanks on the underside…

Tom

The geep looks great. At first glace I thought it looked like PRR, but the paint appears to be black and not DGLE. My B&O GP7 with the top side air tanks has a large fuel and probably a water tank under the frame. I’m curious why the Lackawanna GP7 needs air tanks under the frame if it has them on top. Or is yours a mash up of a few models?

 

[Lehigh74]

And yes, the air tanks under the frame wouldn’t be there on the Lackawanna GP7 passenger version. I need to modify a fuel tank to make it larger…or get the proper tanks. Did MTH make a GP7 with the large fuel/water tank and the torpedo tube air reservoirs?

Tom

They did. My new B&O GP-7 (20-21415-1) has a large fuel tank. The image on MTH website shows it with smaller fuel tank and air tanks under the frame. I did a quick search at the new parts site and didn’t find any joy. They don’t have the Premier PS3 GP-7 listed yet, any tanks I saw included the underframe air tanks and price is $20.

 

[Lehigh74]

That was quick. I guess the new MTH parts site is working well.
OH BTW, the GP-7 looks good.

 

[Lehigh74]

Nice when a repair that simple can get a nice loco like that back in business. I couldn’t tell from the middle photo what the problem part was. If it doesn’t see much stress, it might last indefinitely.

 

[Lehigh74]

The G&D box car is pretty cool. I’m thinking there are not too many like that in O scale. I would think it would be more of an HO thing.

 

[Lehigh74]

A new project. I am adding a passenger generator set to a MTH GP7. It has a ways to go, and some of the work needs to be refined…like the marker light That slipped out of place as it was drying.
A long way to go yet…
The end result will hopefully be a CNJ GP7 in NJDOT colors...
Tom

That’s pretty cool. I have heard of steam generators for passenger trains, but never thought about a separate electric generator on a diesel electric loco for passenger trains. That looks to be brass and I’m guessing it comes as we see it in the photo. Or is it scratch built?

 

[Lehigh74]

The E6 looks very sharp. But with the A unit pouring smoke out, the B unit just doesn't look right with no smoke.

 

[Lehigh74]

B unit has no electronics, so no smoke. Doesn't both me. I only ran the smoke for the video. Otherwise I never turn the smoke units on in my diesels.

I don’t run smoke too much either, but I had a U30C that smoked big time and it bothered me that the matching dummy was smokeless. John helped me out adding smoke to the dummy.
ADDING SMOKE TO MTH U30C DUMMY | Model Train Forum

 

[Lehigh74]

They look good so far. I’m betting that as soon as you finish them, you will find the Weaver/Buffalo Creek version at a great price.

 

[Lehigh74]

I have the MTH PRR 0-4-0 version and a K-Line PRR 0-6-0. I hope they can handle switches well when I build a small switching layout.

Tom

My MTH 0-4-0 (20-3598-1) has no problems with Gargraves 103/104 (O100), 113/114 (O42), 141 (O72 WYE), Ross 161 (O72/O54), Ross 100/101 or older Gargraves.

 

[Lehigh74]

Hi TOM,
I am wondering if you know where I can purchase O scale decals in Reading & Northern? I am thinking of doing a re paint and as of know I can’t find anything in R&N. Can these be made up by someone? I am interested in doing their new paint scheme.

That’s a nice paint job. Thought it was a model at first, but after a good look it’s the real thing in Jim Thorpe. It’s a wonderful thing when a railfan owns a railroad.

I also thought I saw an MTH special with the Fast Freight paint, but didn’t see it in a product search.

I looked at these guys when I was thinking of painting some passenger cars in D&H colors, but ended up getting another set of cars.

Custom Decals (highballgraphics.com)

I did end up having to renumber a few of the cars and ended up making my own.

(1) Using Clear Mailing Labels to Renumber Placards | Model Train Forum